Wednesday, 4 November 2015

CCT Trial: Saraki Pleads With Supreme Court

Senate President Bukola Saraki has pleaded with the Supreme Court to stop the full scale trial on the 13-count criminal charge scheduled for November and 6 which was entered against him by the federal government.

The Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) had filed a 13 count criminal charge against the Senate President for failing to declare his assets fully, alleging that he misused state funds to purchase private assets while serving as Kwara state governor.

Saraki had challenged the result of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) by submitting an appeal at the Court of Appeal but on Friday, October 30, the court allowed the trial against him.

As a last ditch effort, Saraki approached the Supreme Court on Tuesday, November 3 to formally file an appeal and to also beg to the court to stop the proceeding of allegation against him. According to Vanguard, the appeal was filed by a team of the former governor’s lawyer led by Mr. J.B. Daudu, SAN

“An order staying further proceedings in Charge No: CCT/ABJ/01/2015 between Federal Republic of Nigeria vs Dr. Olubukola Abubakar Saraki fixed for hearing on November 5 and 6, 2015 pending the determination of the appeal pending before the Supreme Court against the judgment of the Court of Appeal dated October 30, 2015.”

Saraki, in his seven grounds of appeal pleaded with the apex court to set aside all the charges against him, and the judgement of the CCT.

Daudu, Saraki’s lawyer pointed out that the CCT was a court of limited jurisdiction and that the charges were entered by Mr. M.S. Hassan who is a deputy director in the federal Ministry of Justice in the absence of an Attorney-General of the federation.

Saraki challenged the Appeal Court which said that he had been served with the charges, at a time when his legal team only filed motion for conditional appearance before bench warrant was issued against him by the CCT.

Meanwhile, Senator Shehu Sanni has accused some members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) of being responsible for Saraki’s trial and that he is a threat to some people ahead of the 2019 election.